Protectors of the Universe
by Torchwood85
Summary: This is the Prologue, yet another Rose Returns theme, and that line from series 4 trailer "I just want a mate" Please R&R A little smutty in the middle, but its all in context. please enjoy. ten/rose
1. Chapter 1

Dreams and Prophecy

Forever……..

Prologue

She protects her mate from the False God and sends his minions into a void of oblivion, the wolf moves swiftly and effortlessly through all that was, all that is, and all there ever could be, changing and manipulating time and essence to her will, for she is time, and all shall bow in her wake. She claws through universes, setting in place the event that are to play out in the final scenes, and those that stand to lead and define, while reminders to things that are lost will not be forgotten. Unbreakable bonds are formed. Life is given, DNA and consciousness are restructured, a dead man saves a child that is his, yet is not. An alteration here, a muse there, levers are unlocked and voids are breached, a star will burn, and a final message of hope will be left at the point where two halves are split. The Valiant Child, who would die in battle so very soon, the wolf, bringer of life, separated from the storm, the destroyer of world. Perfect symmetry, good and evil, night and day, life and death...for all eternity. This is the will of time and the prophecy of a dead race that will bring the universe to equilibrium.

And as she returns to the heart, she sends a final message to an ancient god that all things are in place, and while it is the end for some, for the universe it is a new beginning, and he waits till he is called.


	2. Chapter 2

lonely(a): remote or secluded;

lone(a): characterized by or preferring solitude

alone(p): lacking companions or companionship

Chapter 1

The Doctor

He stands alone, silently staring into nothing, his face awash in soft green light as he stands in front of the console watching the time rotor pulsating as they make their way into the time vortex. He is alone, save for the only constant that he knows will be with him until the end of his days, the TARDIS, ever present and always knowing the pain and loneliness and guilt that at times consumes her charge. He is her constant, her only companion in the universe, just as she is the last of her kind, and he, the Last of the Time Lords, last of an ancient and majestic civilization, pompous and incredulous as they may have been at times, now long gone, wiped from all of time and space, the last desperate attempt to save the universe from extinction and destruction. But she could not let him die with his people, the love this machine has for this man, no matter which face he may have, would not allow it to come to pass, he who once saved her life from loneliness and pain and death...quite right too she thinks. She tries to soothe her time lord with a wash of love and peace and support, but has little effect on such a broken man, as powerful as she maybe, she is unable to mend broken hearts.

Once they are safely in the vortex, he runs his fingers lovingly along the console and makes his way into the depths of his beloved ship, his only constant companion. He is tired and broken, she takes pity on him by moving his room closer to the console room, sensing his need to sleep, rare for a time lord as that maybe, he sends a silent message to the TARDIS, thanking her for refraining from her usual swapping and mixing of corridors and rooms. He shrugs off his coat, and removes his suit jacket too exhausted to do anything other than drop them at the foot of his bed and sit down with his head in his hands. His mind still racing, thoughts moving so quickly, equations, problems, memories...in the end that's all he ever seems to have, all he wants is peace. He lays back and closes his eyes, and implores the TARDIS to remove all thought and memory as he descends into a restless sleep, he doesn't want to dream or remember, just to sleep. She complies, after all this is all she can do to help his tortured soul.

They are all gone, his people, his friends, his family, everything he has ever loved has been taken away from him, always he is left with nothing but painful memories, Tegan, Nyssa, Ace, Sarah Jane, Martha, Donna, Jack to name a few...Rose. They all leave in the end whether willing or not, and some of them he just leaves behind, not able to bear the sight of them withering and dying in front of him as he lives on, the curse of the Time Lords. Some days he can't stand that he can no longer feel the presence of his people, that small tug in the back of his mind that reminded him that he wasn't alone, not anymore though, the ever present gaping hole that their annihilation caused, by his own hand no less, he killed them, all of them gone. He wonders if this is the universes way of punishing him for all that he has done, all the destruction he has caused, no matter how much good he does, constantly punishing him and beating him, times champion, but always and forever as the legends and stories describe him, destroyer of worlds, bringer of darkness...the oncoming storm.

There once was a time when the burden which he carries seemed lighter, shared by another who knew the pain and torment he subjected himself to, she had met him just after the most devastating part of his long, long life, just after the time war, she came to him when he was a broken, bitter, brooding man. From the moment he first took her hand in that basement and told her to run, he knew she was different, every time she was around, laughed, or took his hand the weight of the worlds which he protects disappeared and he was, for lack of a better word happy and content with his existence, she gave him hope at his most hopeless moment, spurred on by her lust for life, her compassion, her innocence, her love. She, who after he had sent her home to be safe, opened and looked into the Heart of the TARDIS, knowing that it would likely cost her life, absorbed the time vortex and became BAD WOLF, just so he would be protected from the false god. Destroyed the daleks and brought about the end the time war, all for him. Regeneration was a small price to pay for what this human was willing to sacrifice because of her love for him. After all, he could save the world but lose her. His Rose, who promised him her forever...still gone now, torn from him, the one place he cannot reach her, dimensional travel used to be easy back when the time lords existed, but no more, trapped on a parallel world with her family, the walls have closed...shut away from him, still holding pieces of his broken hearts. In the end she told him, on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay, but he knew, he always knew. Ironic really the place where they came to their end. The Doctor and Rose parted forever. He wanted to tell her, tell her that he has and will always love her, but even that was begrudged him. Him, the Lord of Time, in the end ran out of time. Rose Tyler, I..."

The Doctor slowly drifted back to consciousness, awakened by a song running through his mind, sad and meaningful, strange he thought as he's not heard the sound of music or song for a long time, not since...well, and he didn't want to think about that. He could not imagine where he could have possible heard it, yet there it was running in repeat through his mind, tormenting him, even the TARDIS could not place the song when he silently queried her as to its origins, and as it continued to play out a deep sense of loneliness and pain, and sadness and despair washed over him, a silent tear made its way down his cheek at the sheer depth of these foreign emotions:

_Couldn't save you from the start_

_Love you so it hurts my soul_

_Can you forgive me for trying again?_

_Your silence makes me hold my breath_

_Time has passed you by_

_Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world_

_Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own_

_Here I am_

_Left in silence_

_You gave up the fight_

_You left me behind_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_You'll always be mine_

_I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_I watched the clouds drifting away_

_Still the sun can't warm my face_

_I know it was destined to go wrong_

_You were looking for the great escape_

_To chase your demons away_

_Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world_

_Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own_

_And here I am_

_Left in silence_

_You gave up the fight_

_You left me behind_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_You'll always be mine I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_I've been so lost since you've gone_

_Why not me before you?_

_Why did fate deceive me?_

_Everything turned out so wrong_

_Why did you leave me in silence?_

_You gave up the fight_

_You left me behind_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_You'll always be mine I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven_

He was feeling someone else's pain and suffering, his stomach sank as he felt the despair that was left in their heart, just as deep as the holes left in his own, but whose he could not say, whoever and whatever these feelings where coming from, he had no idea, but the sheer power behind these feelings was unfathomable, to be projected and to reach him at all, let alone in the depths of the time vortex was practically impossible, and not his type of impossible, absolutely and undeniably impossible. And this scared him to no end.

He needed to find its source, needed to know how and why he was receiving these thoughts and feelings, and from who, and the power needed to broadcast such a thing he calculated would surely come to the equivalent of that of at least two decent sized supernovas, at exactly the same time, and as far as he was concerned, that just wasn't plausible, not impossible mind you but definitely a bad thing in his opinion. And the song which played constantly over and over and over in his mind, never ending. Within seconds he was out into the corridor and in the control room, running test after test, trying to find the source of the transmissions in his head, he ran the TARDIS through thousands of possible frequencies and anything he could think of to pin point a location for this phenomenon. When the TARDIS started bleeping that she had finished and found the location of the disturbance, not the source she told him, but that location was not unfamiliar to him. The Doctor set the co ordinates and the TARDIS came full pelt out of the Vortex, and as he finished the rematerializing sequence, he stopped and ran his fingers through his already messed brown hair, sighed as he gritted his teeth and whispered to himself, "God Jack, what have you done now?"

Jack was sitting at his desk in Torchwood, when he heard the familiar whirring of the TARDIS engines, he raced from his office and down the stairs, as the time machine appeared in the middle of the HUB, as the TARDIS doors where flung open The Doctor stepped out and Jack came to stop mere inches from the slightly shorter mans face, they looked at each other, and in unison came a response that left the rest of Torchwood Cardiff flabbergasted..."What have you done now?"

Words 1, 795


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Captain Jack Harkness

Jack and the Doctor stood motionless for a time staring at each other, face to face.

"What do you mean, what have I done, the problems here?!!" the doctor snapped as he glared at Jack.

"ME, I haven't done anything, what do ya mean the problems here, there's no problem, the rift is stable as always since it was sealed, nothings happened!!" Jack responded with equal force as the doctors' accusation.

"There's a signal coming from here, coming from what I can only assume is the rift, that has the potential to destroy the entire universe, so powerful in its magnitude that the sheer force was enough for it to reach me even within the depths of the Time Vortex, and your telling me that there's no problem??!! He snapped back.

"What?" Jack replied disbelief and confusion written across his face.

"What do you mean what?" he said sarcastically but recognising his confusion he continued." So you're telling me that with all the equipment you have access to, advanced and alien at it may be, you can't detect a signal with the equivalent force of two, and when I say two, I mean unfathomably large and destructively powerful supernova's, a force that at this point in time, may very well be the post powerful thing in the known universe in all of time and space, and you have nothing?!!!"

Jack stood before his friend in disbelief a second, before turning to his team, frozen to their places in the HUB by the sheer fear and force of the Doctors words. He spoke in an even and steady voice, forcing the fear down so as not to worry them.

"Tosh, bring up the status of the rift for the last 24 hours."

She stared at him for a moment, and then he gestured for her to do as she was asked. She worked quickly and within seconds the information appeared on the computer screen to the left of the Doctor.

"Everything for the last 24 hours, including, sonic readings, energy fluctuations and time displacement fields, all we have is right there." Tosh said and motioned for the doctor to look at the data.

He pulled out his glasses and began sifting rapidly through the information looking for anything that would explain what had happened.

With wide eyes and a look of utter confusion." Nothing" he uttered, barely audible, heard only by Jack as he stood at his friend's side.

"How can this be?!!" he said and turned to Jack hoping that he could offer an explanation to the impossible." It's impossible!!"

"I'm not sure, Doc, but I can assure you that whatever's doing this, it isn't us". Jack said placing his hand on the Doctors shoulder.

"Come on" He motioned for the Doctor to follow him. "Ianto, could you bring the Doc a nice hot cup of tea, and I think I'll have a shot of whiskey, this is gonna take a while."

"Tosh, Owen, Gwen continue to monitor the rift, use everything we've got, if there's any change, come and find us, we'll be in my office." Jack spoke to his team who immediately began working on his instructions.

"Come on Doc, we've got a lot to catch up on. I want you to tell me everything." the doctor nodded silently, still slightly dishevelled by recent events, and followed Jack.

Jack took the cups from Ianto and closed the doors behind him, he turned to the doctor who flung himself into the lounge in the corner pushed his glasses up on top of his head, and dragged his hands down his face, "I think I'm going mad Jack". Jack looked at his friend, whose expression meant that this comment was nothing short of the absolute truth. He places the cups on the table and with a look of encouragement, bid that he continues.

"Tell me what happened, from beginning to end, all of it. After all, we've got all the time in the world." Jack said, trying to lighten the mood.

The Doctor smiled sadly at his friend, a smile which didn't make it to his eyes. "Tell me." Jack sat across from him and he began to tell Jack the event which led him to Cardiff. He told him everything, surprising even himself at how openly he was speaking to the man that shouldn't exist, wrong to the point that the TARDIS had tried to shake him off, sending them to the end of the universe.

"You miss her don't you?" Jack said softly.

"More than you could ever know." he responded distantly.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah."

"I miss her too; she sure was somthin special wasn't she." Jack said smiling at the memory of them dancing in the TARDIS.

"She's not dead Jack." The Doctor said firmly looking into his friends glassy eyes.

"I know it's just...well" Jack trailed off and looked down at his feet.

"I know." he began. "She saved us both, Jack. Absorbed the entirety of space and time, just so we would be safe, willing to sacrifice herself. And look what I let happen..." he trailed off gritting his teeth remembering being torn apart.

"It wasn't your fault, Doc, you did everything you could." Jack said quickly before the Doctor could continue his train of thought.

"Did I, Jack?" the Doctor queried.

"Yes." Jack snapped. "I know how much you loved her, even if you weren't able to show it, she knew it too; never forget that, Doc, she loves you." Jack finished looking dead into the Doctors dark brown eyes.

The Doctor closed his eyes tightly as a single tear ran down his cheek. "Loved, Jack. Even if I could get to her, there's no way to know how much time would've passed, or if she still felt the same, or if she was still ali..." he trailed off again, mouth opening and closing at a sentence he couldn't finish. Opening his eyes not wanting to continue that thought either. "I couldn't assume anything; all I can do is hope that she has the fantastic life that I always wished for her. All that's left are memories, Jack. That's all I could have ever really had. She was human."

"I know." Jack said.

The Doctor leaned forward in his chair and resting his elbow on his knees dropped his head to his hands.

"You really wouldn't have left her behind would you?" Jack said smiling, more of a statement then a question.

"Never" the Doctor whispered. "I could save the world but lose her."

Jack dropped his head back to look at the floor. The Doctor looked at Jack and ran his fingers through his messy hair to rub the back of his neck.

"Still" the doctor sighed, "All gone now."

"Yeah." was Jacks response.

The Doctor jumped up out of his chair and with a forced grin, and cheery tone, slightly shocking Jack out of his reverie, and spoke.

"Well I suppose we'd better go and check on the rest of your lot, I've seen what happens when you leave them to their own devices," he remarked sarcastically and began to walk out of the door.

Jack laughed and sighed as he rose to his feet to follow the overly energetic wreck of a man back down into the depths of the HUB.

Word count – 1, 225


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Return of the Bad Wolf

As the two men made their way to the rest of the Torchwood team, all six occupants of the room where suddenly flung full force to the outer walls of the HUB. Stunned and breathless, they covered their faces to shield their eyes from the bright lights that bathed the room from a source 6 feet above their heads, lightning sparked out from the small ball of gold and silver light, accompanied by a song as old as time itself, ancient and forever, then suddenly with an almightily and deafening crash the ball exploded to reveal a body, arms splayed out to her sides, head back, long hair swirling and twisting with the swirls of colours an unconscious and unidentified angel, legs dangling in mid air, jacket billowing behind her. The silver and gold light intensified around her and gently began lowering the limp form to towards the floor. As it descended they were released from their positions at the walls, and as the body was gently dropped and laid down in the middle of the room, lights intensifying one last time as the music ceased and began to absorb back into the lifeless form. The group could do nothing but stare, dumbfounded at what they had just witnessed.

In the back of his mind, Jack could only liken this to something from a movie he'd once seen, but seemed to pale into comparison to this phenomenon. The Doctor glanced warily at Jack, all the while sensing the power that had been used to create this spectacle, Jack nodded, and they slowly began to make their way into the centre of the room with Jack following closely behind the Doctor as back up. Jack approached the head of what he could only describe as a woman, unable to see her face from his position as it faced the opposite direction. He rounded her head, just as the Doctor stopped dead in his tracks at the foot of the body. The Doctor physically paled at the sight, he couldn't move, a look of sheer terror and confusion and pain written across his face like a book. Jack noticed this and stopped

"Doctor, what it is?" he said in a cautious tone.

"No" the doctor whispered, unable to process a coherent thought let alone sound.

"Doc, what's the matter!" Jack yelled as he raced around to see what had literally scared the life out of his 900 year old friend.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks, focusing on what was in front of him, the others watched as Jack also physically paled at the sight in front of him.

"What is it Jack!" Gwen cried.

"It's, It's, It's..." he stuttered as he tried to get the words out, but was interrupted by the Doctor.

"It can't be, she's gone, I won't do this again Jack!!!" and with that the Time Lord stormed away and slammed the TARDIS doors closed behind him.

"DOCTOR!!!" Jack yelled as he watched him close the doors of his ship.

On the other side of the doors the Doctor heard but ignored Jacks cries, and he slid down the inside of the doors, "Not again, not again, It's not her, she's gone." a desperate plea to the TARDIS for an explanation, and he collapsed to the ground, in a heart wrenching uncontrollable sob of sadness, despair and anger that this creature has chosen this form to present itself.

Outside Jack still stood focusing back on the unconscious form on the floor.

"Who is it Jack?" Gwen said as she came up to stand beside him. And as he turned to face her, he said simply and quietly.

"Rose."

Several hours had passed since the Time Lord shut himself inside the TARDIS; Jack approached the doors, sighed and gently knocked at the door. A few seconds passed and just as Jack put his hand up to knock again, the door opened and the Doctor looked at Jack with a stare of pure anger and vengeance.

"Where is it?"

Jack sighed again, and spoke," She's in the Autopsy room; it's the only sterile environment we have." He paused for a moment "She's alive Doc."

"NO!" came the Doctors immediate response. "There's no way to travel between dimensions, Jack." he continued sarcastically, "Remember, Last of the Time Lords, used to be easy now impossible?" He stopped and looked at Jack with a frightening determination. This wasn't the Doctor, he knew that much, what now stared back at him was the "Oncoming Storm", and he was terrifying. Jack visibly stiffened and swallowed loudly as the Doctor continued in a whisper, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is, Jack, it isn't her."

The two men joined the rest of the group, busy observing Owen examine the life form in front of him.

"So what have we got Owen?" Jack said as he rounded the medical table, followed closely by the Doctor, who proceeded to take out his sonic screwdriver from inside his jacket and began scanning the form in front of them. He completed the scans and waited until the device had tested and arranged its reading so the Doctor could give them a definitive answer. As the last tests were finalised the screwdriver bleeped its finish, the Doctor looked at Jack with an incredulous look on his face.

"What is it, Doc?" he said in a worried tone.

"You were right Jack, it's Rose."

"What?!!?"

The Doctor finished looking over the results provided by the device, and looked once again at his friend.

"And not only that, she's changed. She's not human." With the look of pure confusion on Jacks face he continued.

"Her biology has mutated, Well, not exactly mutated as such, but definantly not human."

"Then what is she?" Jack said worry and fear clearly noted in his response.

"Well, she is, what I mean to say, could be...but I'm not sure, I'd have to get the TARDIS to confirm..." he trailed off.

"WHAT IS SHE!!!?" Jack yelled at the Doctors inability to finish his own sentences

"She's..." he paused for a second "She's me." he starred at the body in disbelief for a few seconds before looking back up at Jack.

"What? What do ya mean she's you?!!!!"

"Well, not me as such, BUT, it seems that her basic DNA structuring is now, similar to, well...mine."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that Rose Marion Tyler, OUR Rose Tyler, is a Time Lord?" Jack could hardly believe what he was hearing, regardless the Doctor continued based on the information the Sonic Screwdriver was providing.

"Yes, well, No, it takes hundreds of years at the academy to become a Time Lord, but I suppose, in essence yes. Rose Tyler is what appears to be a fully fledged Gallifreyan." A small smile appeared on his lips as he continued his lecture. "It's completely and utterly impossible, but here she is, lower Body temperature, the skin, 11 point DNA structure, RBS appears to be normal, only one heart though, but, she appears to have a slight heart murmur, which could signal the development of the second. I really need to get her into the TARDIS; I won't know the full extent of the change until the old girl has a chance to check her out." He looked at Jack who nodded and immediately scooped the girl up off the table, much to Owen' disgust.

Jack flew along the corridors behind the Doctor, who moved ahead to open the TARDIS doors, he followed the Doctor into the ship, which sensed their urgency, and moved the hallways and rooms to compensate. The Doctor sent a silent thanks to his ship as Jack placed the still limp form of his best friend on the closest bed and the Doctor quickly began placing monitors and machines to her body, and the TARDIS began her examination.

"This may take a while Jack, there's nothing else to do besides wait for the old girl to finish." The TARDIS grumbled in response to the "old girl" comment.

"You know I didn't mean it like that!" he rolled his eyes and looked up into the ceiling.

"I'm not goin anywhere Doc, I need to know what's goin on." Jack said as he pulled up a seat next to the bed.

"Why hasn't she woken up, Doc? It's been nearly five hours, since she got here?"

"I don't know Jack. I don't know how she got here, or how she's changed, but she has and be sure I won't stop until I find out."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Revelations from the TARDIS

Rose slowly opened her eyes, and waited for them to adjust. No sooner had she had opened her eyes she felt a tickle in the back of her mind, politely asking for permission to enter. She knew instantly who it was, she smiled and closed her eyes again as the TARDIS entered her mind. A wash of love and comfort and pure elation poured over her mind, she like wise returned the feelings to the TARDIS, along with two words, HOME and FAMILY. The TARDIS hummed with joy.

_"It's good to be home old girl" she spoke to the TARDIS in her mind._

_"It is good to have you home, My Rose Tyler." the TARDIS replied, and Rose smiled._

_"Where is he?" she asked._

The TARDIS laughed happily in her mind_. "Open your eyes child and look down."_

Rose did and saw the Doctor asleep in the chair to the left of her with his head resting on her stomach, fingers tightly intertwined with her own. She smiled, also noticing the other head resting gently upon her right side.

_"It's good to see them both again."_ she said as she continued her telepathic conversation with the ship.

_"How long have I been gone girl?"_

_"Just over two years for our dear Doctor, Rose"_

_"How has he been?"_

The TARDIS hummed in amusement _"That is a question, that he should answer himself. It has not been easy for him, pain and despair and loneliness, not unlike your own."_

_"I wanted to die, TARDIS_" Rose said as a single tear slid down her cheek.

_"I know child, I know, I could feel it even though we were separated, we are linked you and I, just as you are linked to the Doctor."_

_"I don't understand?"_

The TARDIS laughed slightly amused in Rose's head.

_"You will, there is a lot to explain child, it is better for me to tell this to you, than it is to our Doctor, he does not share the same connection as you and I, he can feel my emotions, but he cannot hear my voice."_

_"Oh, does he know?"_

_"In time, he will."_

_"Ok then, I'm ready TARDIS, tell me."_

_"Very well, you and I became one aboard the Game station, when you looked into my heart, you were willing to die to save our Doctor, Rose, and this fact did not go unnoticed, as when you looked into me, I also looked into you. I granted you what your heart desired most, the Doctor."_

_"But he doesn't look at me that way."_

_"Yes, he does. But I knew that it would take a separation for him to finally admit to himself that he loves you, he was going to tell you, but our dear Time Lord, last of his kind, ironically ran out of time."_

Rose laughed inwardly and spoke to the TARDIS again.

_"I always wondered what he was going to say all those years ago, I knew though, I knew he loved me, jus thought it was in the way that he loved all his companions."_

_"No, you are his match, his equal, his mate. You Rose Tyler, are the Goddess of Time, just as he is the Lord of Time, second last of your species."_

_"My species?"_

_"Yes Rose, a true Gallifreyan Time Lord."_ the TARDIS hummed in amusement.

_"Funny though TARDIS now that you mention it, it's not that hard to believe, as if I already knew, ya know?"_

_"I must tell you what I have done, the Doctor does not quite realize the extent of your change. You will be able to feel his presence just as he will be able to sense yours, you will be able to bear his children. You will be able to regenerate, but with minimal effects, you will not change like the doctor changes, your eyes, hair, but the rest remains constant. Your minds will essentially be as one, you will see all of his memories and feel his emotions just as he will know yours, but be warned child, 900 years is a long time to be alone. You may not like what you see. Are you prepared to handle such an intense bond as the one he will offer Rose?"_

_"I don't care what he's done TARDIS, I know he's a good man and I will love him no matter what, I would die for him. I have spent over a century loving him, and I don't plan on stopping, ever. I promised him forever and that's what I plan to give him, no matter what relationship he wants with me"_

The TARDIS marvelled at the extent of the love this girl held for her Doctor, and hummed with pride as she spoke those words.

_"I understand what you are saying to me TARDIS, I will be his constant, just as you are, his friend, his mater."_

_"Yes, that is correct, you must also know that once you have bonded properly your lifelines will intertwine and become one, forever linked to each other no matter where you are, if one of you regenerates, so too shall the other."_

Rose understood, as if all the information had been downloaded into her mind.

_"I understand."_

_"Good, he is beginning to wake, My Rose Tyler"_ the TARDIS said lovingly.

_"Thank you TARDIS."_

_"You are truly welcome."_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Reunited

The Doctor awoke to a soft hand stroking his already incredibly messed hair. He smiled to himself, it was Rose, his Rose had returned to him.

He turned and lifted his head to look at her.

"Hello" he said happily

"Hello" a simple response that held a whole world of meaning.

At the sound of their voices Jack awoke with a start and looked straight up at Rose's beautiful face.

"Hello gorgeous." he said with a smile from ear to ear.

"Hello yourself Captain Jack Harkness."

He wrapped her up into the biggest hug he had ever given anyone, as the Doctor moved away to run the TARDIS through a final examination of Rose. Jack pressed a loving kiss into her hair line and moved back to look at her face.

"It's great to see you again Rosie."

"You too Jack, I've missed you soon much."

"We'll catch up yeah, when you're feeling up to it we'll all go out and paint the town."

All three of them laughed, and before taking his leave he gave her another hug, this time so his lips met her ear and he whispered.

"Besides, I think someone else needs you right now."

She nodded and after saying a quick see you later to the Doctor, Jack left the two of them alone in the med bay.

The Doctor turned to her and smiled sheepishly and stuffed his hands into his pockets, while looking down at his trainers.

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled, looking at the man in front of her, her Doctor, with his brown stripped suit, untucked shirt, lose tie and damned sexy unruly hair.

The Doctor chuckled to himself as he felt her thought wash over him.

"What are you laughin at?" she said amused, as her tongue caught between her teeth.

"Me? Nothing" he said innocently as he walked towards her.

She laughed too then, and she reached out to take his hand. He complied and locked his fingers in between hers. He looked down at her and she could see in his eyes that he needed to tell her about what had happened to her, the changes that she had been subjected to, well what little he knew about them anyways.

"It's alright Doctor, I know."

He looked at her and furrowed his brow in confusion, she chuckled to herself realising that he didn't understand.

"Know what?"

She smiled and let go of his hand.

"Take a look, the TARDIS has finished her scans."

He glanced up at the monitor over her head just as the TARDIS bleeped her completion and began to read the results. He stood there staring for ages; she could feel the uncertainty coming off him in waves, unsure whether this was really happening, sure that now she knew she would want to leave him for what had happened to her. She had to stop him. She grabbed his hand once more and looked up into his eyes and spoke when she had his attention.

"Don't worry Doctor, I'm not goin anywhere, I've spend the last 100 years away from you. You'd have to drag me away kickin and screamin, this is where I belong, you and the TARDIS are my family, and you always have been. I promised you forever Doctor, and I have no intention of takin that back."

He just stood for a moment taking in all she has said. Then a tear appeared in the corner of his eye, hoping she wouldn't notice he blinked it way, let go of her hand and stepped away. She was confused.

"What Doctor?"

"You can't Rose, if you knew what I've done you'd run, I don't deserve you." He forced out through gritted teeth as he turned and fled out of the room and into the depths of the TARDIS.

"This is goin to be harder than I though girl." The ship hummed in agreement; Rose laughed knowing full well that if the TARDIS had hands she would've slapped him good and proper. _"Damn right I would"_ she heard her say in the back of her mind.

Rose decided that she'd had enough of laying about and that a shower was in order due to the stench that seemed to be emanating from her clothing, not at all sure how long she had been wearing them. And with that she made her way to her room and a nice long hot shower, which the TARDIS had every intention of granting her without hesitation and all the hot water she could use. She stroked the wall lovingly as she undressed and entered the shower, _"Don't worry girl, things will turn out as it should be in the end."_ And as she soaked her aching body under the shower the TARDIS hummed in agreement. Quite pleased to have her family together once again no matter what state they may be in.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Honesty and Discoveries

Rose had finished her shower and dried off, she pulled her long hair around to the front of her body and began to brush her hair, as she did she felt a slight tingling sensation on the back of her neck as the chain attached to her TARDIS key rubbed. She turned her head to the side to try and catch whatever it was in the mirror, she could barely see it, but noticed that it looked like an intricate variation of a figure eight.

"TARDIS, how did I get this, I don't remember getting a tattoo or anythin?"

_"That child is the Seal of Rassilon, the symbol of the Time Lords."_

"But, why do I have it, I know you said that I was like the Doctor but..." the TARDIS interrupted as she spoke.

_"Rose, you have no idea just how special you are, not just to the Doctor and myself, but to the Universe. You carry the Seal of Rassilon not only because it represents your people, but because you and the Doctor are the last of your kind, it is also represents that power you both hold." _

"Power? But I don't have any power, I'm sorry TARDIS, I know I should understand but I don't." she could feel the sting of tears in the back of her eyes.

_"It is alright, Rose, I did not expect you to understand, tell me child how is it that you believe you returned to us?"_

"I don't know, I just assumed that it was you."

The TARDIS hummed with great amusement at this notion.

_"I am truly flattered that you believe me to possess such great power, but no it was not I"_

"Then how?"

_"You, Rose, you brought yourself here."_

"But how could I have done that? I mean the Doctor once said that only the Time Lords could move between dimensions, well back when there were more than one that is."

_"That is true, dear one, and you, the clever thing that you are called out to the most powerful thing in all of creation, you alone called forth the spirit of Rassilon himself. Your loyalty and most importantly your love awakened the God of the Time Lords. You Rose Tyler bear the mark of the creator. You and the Doctor represent all that was, all that is and all there ever could be, you are the past, the present and the future. The Bad Wolf and the Oncoming Storm together for all eternity." _

Rose sat silently thinking, the song that was it, that was how she did it, she poured all her thought and feeling and sent it out to anyone who would hear it, the sheer magnitude of everything that had happened, slowly seeping in, a lot to absorb really, besides, its not everyday that you get marked by the God of all Time and Space, and are told that you represent the future of a nearly all but dead species. She thought about it a little more and then looked up into the ceiling as she spoke to the TARDIS.

"Well then, I think it's time I went and found his high n mighty Time Lordliness and slap im'."

The TARDIS hummed in amused and affirmation, and Rose left her room to find the Doctor.

She found said Time Lord jammed as far as he possibly could get under the console, the TARDIS had taken quite a liking to randomly zapping him for being such a jerk, Rose smiled when the TARDIS told her this. He hadn't noticed her leaning back on console on the opposite site of the rotor, and she marvelled at the expletives coming from his mouth, in the past the TARDIS had just downright refused to translate for her, along with the data on the monitors, which she now understood perfectly well, this wasn't the TARDIS choice not to let her see the monitors, the Doctor had asked her not to translate any Gallifreyan to her or anyone else on board. Rose didn't have any choice now, not that she was upset, not at all in fact, she found it incredibly entertaining that she knew what he was saying, while he himself remained completely oblivious to it. She also wasn't willing to part with the fact that she could feel his emotions and could now fly the TARDIS on her own, without his help, a gift from the TARDIS as long as she promised to not beat her with that damned mallet, and try to stop him too if she could.

Finally he emerged from under the console and leaned heavily against it as he stroked the Time Rotor. Rose couldn't help herself.

"Would you two like to be alone?" Rose asked cheekily, biting down on her tongue.

The TARDIS shook as though she was laughing, remembering when Rose had told her about herself and Sarah Jane, and the look of absolute horror on his face after walking in on them laughing at his expense.

The Doctor glared up at the TARDIS as he recalled the events of that particular moment.

"Very funny, why is it that whenever two of my companions are in the same room there's always a laugh at my expense."

He looked at Rose through the green of the rotor, he couldn't imagine another time when she had looked more beautiful. She began to make her way around the console, trailing her fingers along the cool metal as she came to stand at the Doctor's side. He just stood as though he was glued to the spot and watched her, not knowing what he had done to deserve her, because he knew he didn't.

"Why don't you let me decide that Doctor?" she said cautiously taking his hand and locking his fingers in between her own.

"Are you reading my thoughts Rose Tyler?" he said with a hit of amusement.

"No, I just know you is all."

It was a down right lie, and she knew it. He seemed to realise this and a smirk began to creep across his face as he reached over to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Then tell me, Rose" he paused for a moment as he dropped his head to brush his lips across her earlobe and continued.

"Why is it that I don't believe you?"

She closed her eyes as a tingle ran up her spine, her body shuddering slighlty as his cool breath rushed across her ear and neck.

He laughed and pulled back to look at her face just as her eyes flew open. Two can play at that game she thought as reached for his tie, and pulled him gently towards her so that her lips were mere millimetres from his own. She did nothing just contented that she could feel his double pulse quicken at her close proximity and could quite clearly hear the galloping beat of his two hearts. For a moment she could have sworn he was going to close the distance between them, but true to form he backed away stuffing one hand in his trouser pockets, the other defaulting through his hair to rest on the back of his neck as he began to babble.

"So, now that your back where should be go first, we could go back to New Earth, shame what happened there though, nearly the entire population where wiped out by emotions, well, when I say emotions what I mean is patches working much to the effects of those emotions but more drug related in presentation of symptoms, Bliss it was called if I remember correctly, Oh and we saw the Face of Boe again, quite sad actually, we watched him die, huh, turns out Jack won't live forever."

He turned to face Rose who remained motionless, save for the tears that streamed down her face and she turned to run out of the console room.

"Rose?"

"Rose! Wait!"

She stopped, but didn't turn around. He spun around and began pacing up and down beside the console, streaming line after line in his native tongue as he tried to find the words to explain to her why he was doing what he was doing, he loved her and he was trying to protect her from himself, from what he did, what he's capable of.

"I know you are, alright I know!!! I know your just tryin to protect me but I've said it before and I'll say it one last time, I love you and I'm never gonna leave you, so let me decide!!! I know what I want and that's you!!! It's time for you to decide what it is that you want!!!"

"What??!!!"

"You heard me Doctor, tell me what you want!!!!!" she screamed back at him.

"No no, I heard that but how did you kno..." he was cut off and as she spoke, it was the most beautiful sound, a sound he hadn't heard bar from his own lips in nearly 300 years.

"Héru S hir -eva Q lúme S lú. Yallume -eva cín Q nostale. Nin Ereb Meen, Nin Meleth, Nin Gald, Estel. Le Nin Mellon, Nin Ore, Nin Amar.."

She sighed and repeated it to him so the meanings would not be lost in translation.

"Lord of Time. Last of your kind. My lonely one, my love, my light and hope.

You are my friend, my heart, my home."

He was completely dumbfounded, speachless to say the very least, which for him he thought 'that was a first'. Rose felt this thought wash over her.

"I'll say it is" she said.

"Now please just tell me, Doctor, do you want me or not, cause I've waited a hundred years for you, but I can't wait any longer."

She waited for him to speak, but after a few moments of silence she was sure that she had got her answer and turned to walk away.

"I want you, Rose."

"What?" she said barely above a murmur.

"I want you if you'll have me, but I have to warn you my life is dangerous, I'm dangerous, I can't protect you from everything Rose."

"Of course I'll have you ya stupid git!! I didn't rip through the void just because I felt like it. For 120 years I've lived a meaningless and empty existence because I didn't have you, You have to be the dumbest intelligent person in the whole of Time and Space Doctor."

She was rewarded with that big heart melting, god damn sexy grin of his. And she ran towards him and launched herself into his arms.

"Oh God I've missed you Rose." he whispered into her ear holding her tighter.

"I love you, My Doctor." she breathed into his shoulder not willing to let go in case he should slip away..

"I'm not going anywhere, I love you too Rose, my dear sweet Rose."

As soon as she heard those words, those three little words her heart soared, holding tight to him, her family, her life as her eyes closed she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Time and Chips

When Rose woke she found herself in a room she had never seen before. Beautiful dark brown and black velvet with silver trimming adorned the walls and draped over her head. The canopy of what she could only admit to be the biggest and softest bed she had even slept in, with the most beautiful silver crest, sparkling over her head. Books, hundreds and hundreds of them lined the walls, a desk full of papers and ink pots, the remnants of half forgotten jiggery pokery ever present, she laughed to herself when she realised that this room could only belong to one person. There was a slight movement from behind her, she smiled when she felt the arm around her middle tighten, she turned her head to a sleeping Doctor, fully clothed mind you she thought a little disappointed as she brushed a single strand of his hair from his face and continued to watch him as he slept. Funny though she couldn't remember falling asleep but she must have, the last she remembered was holding as tight as she could to him as he held her in the console room. Was that all a dream? Did she imagine him telling her those three little words?

"You know it's rude to watch people sleep, Miss Tyler?" he whispered with a hint of amusement as a small smile crept across his lips, and she couldn't help the slip of her tongue out of the side of her teeth at this comment.

Before he opened his eyes she lent into him and brushed the tiniest of kisses across his lips and smiled as she felt him stiffen and his breath hitch next to her, she couldn't help the giggle that escaped from her lips, but was distracted by the loud grumbling of her stomach. Now it was his turn to laugh.

"Breakfast?" he laughed as he opened his eyes and got up, reaching for her hand.

"Yeah." she replied as she took it and he pulled her from his bed.

"When was the last time you ate anyway?" still unsure as to the length of time she had been gone from the parallel world before the 48 or so hours she had been back.

She shrugged the response more to herself than to his question. "Bout a week if you don't include the 20 or so odd shots of tequila I had before I passed out."

He had heard her response. "Oh, Rose."

She shrugged again and tried to avoid his eyes, sensing that she no longer wanted to remain on this trail of thought.

"Right then! I think it's time we took Jack up on his offer. Especially if his version of paint the town involves, OH I don't know, bacon, eggs and maybe some...chips?"

A massive smiled erupted from both their faces.

"That sounds fantastic; jus let me get changed, yeah?" Rose said as she hugged him.

He smiled and laughed as he placed a kiss on her forehead, noticing the state of her hair. Then in a mock serious tone ordered her into the shower.

"Yes Sir!" she saluted and left the room.

He stood there for a while, hands in his pockets, nothing could wipe the smile that was plastered across his face. He thought to himself that he had better go and tell her that he'd meet her outside with Jack, as he left his room and moved along the corridor.

"I know." he felt her response before he had even reached her door to tell her, he smiled to himself and continued through the console room and out to a waiting Jack.

After a disagreement with the TARDIS as to what she should wear, the ship won out in the end of course, Rose supposed who was she to argue with a being more than a millennia old, with the whole of time and space hers to command. The TARDIS hummed in agreement in the back of her mind. She laughed quite impressed in fact at the outfit the TARDIS had chosen for her, tight but incredibly flattering black leather hipster jeans, dark purple velvet v-neck spaghetti strapped top which showed off her toned stomach, black knee high leather boots with just enough of a heel to be feminine but not hinder her ability to run should the occasion call for it. And finished off with a brown leather jacket that billowed out behind her, similar in colour and texture to Nine's but with the length of Ten's. The TARDIS had told her to refer to the Doctors this way, therefore avoiding confusion. Hair tied back behind her in what the TARDIS had referred to as looking very Lara Croft, she laughed as she made her way to the front doors.

When she stepped out of the ship she was greeted by a very pleased Jack Harkness and an equally stunned Doctor. Jack scooped her up in a hug, and when she was released moved over and took the Doctors hand.

"Ready?" she asked cheekily to the dazed Time Lord, who blinked a few times and cleared his throat to regain control over his vocal chords.

"Yes. Right. Breakfast. Lead the way Jack."

"Yes, Sir." came Jacks response, glancing at Rose with a smirk evident on both their faces as he led the trio from hub and out into Cardiff.

"I don't think I could eat another bite even if I tried." Rose breathed after what could only be described as a feast fit for a king.

"Like wise little lady." said Jack rubbing his stomach and stretching.

"I'm not surprised after that, don't know where the two of you put it?" Laughed the Doctor whose breakfast had been the equivalent of no more than two slices of toast with marmalade and about five other assorted jams piled on top, washed down with tea.

Jack picked up the tab and tipped the waiter, and the three set off through the now bustling centre of Cardiff. It had been ages since Rose had been near anything that resembled a shop and she ran on ahead of Jack and the Doctor to look at one of the stalls full of shining silver and gold bits and pieces.

"So come on, spill." Jack said waggling his eye brows at the Doctor.

"There's nothing to spill, Jack Harkness." replied the Doctor raising one eyebrow at Jack.

"What?! Are you insane? You had all night with her and NOTHING happened? I don't know who to be more ashamed of, You or Her!"

"I'm not like you Jack. If anything is to happen then it will be her choice, her timing, not mine."

"God Doc for a smart guy, sometimes you can be incredibly dumb."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?!!"

Jack just laughed. "Well, I'm damn certain she didn't dress like that for me Doc."

"What??!!" the Doctor snapped in confusion.

Jack sighed. "She wants you Doc, in every way a woman could want a man. Ever since I first met you both, she wanted it then and she wants it now more than ever."

The Doctor said nothing, stuffing his hands in his pockets and continuing to walk.

"So." Jack said changing the subject. "How long has she been gone, her time I mean?"

"A century." the Doctor said distantly.

Jack was stunned. "Wow, not bad for 121 years old then. So do you know what happened?"

"Well, I assume it happened when she absorbed the time vortex, no one's supposed to do that like I said before. But she was human; I suppose it's only natural to assume that the TARDIS had to make a few adjustments for her to be able to hold that sort of power, I mean it caused me to regenerate and made you immortal. But what I don't understand is how she managed to get here. When the Time Lord's were destroyed it became impossible to separate the fabric between dimensions. I don't even know if she knows how she got here?"

"Well have you asked her?" Jack replied.

"Hasn't really been a right time I suppose? Oh by the way Rose, since all the Time Lord's are extinct except for myself and now you, would you mind awfully telling me how you separated the fabric of time and space to get back? Not exactly the best way to start a conversation Jack." the Doctor said sarcastically.

"It's a good start."

The Doctor glared at Jack for a moment before he continued.

"I can feel her Jack." he said softly tapping his temple as he spoke. "I can feel her presence here, her feelings and to some extent she can feel my thought too."

Jack looked at his friend with a look of wonder.

"And after all that you couldn't feel her want to strip you naked as the day you were born and have her way with you? I mean god Doc, I'm not in the slightest anything like you and I could read that from her."

The Doctor said nothing just continue walking, and Jack dropped the subject.

"Well then, if you won't ask her how she did it I will." and with that Jack jogged to catch up with Rose. The Doctor rolled his eyes and quickened his pace to join them.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The start of something new

Jack never asked her, besides he knew that she would tell him in her own time, he was just glad to back with his two best friends. He loved the Doctor and Rose more than life itself, he would do anything for them even if it cost him his life, after all he could definitely afford a few, even if he didn't there would be no hesitation. After spending the day with them, he turned to them to take his leave.

"Why don't you come with us, Jack?" said the Doctor.

"Yeah come with us." said Rose backing up the Doctors invitation.

"Your rooms still here and you're welcome to stay for as long as you like."

"I'd love to, but my team..." he stopped as the Doctor interrupted him.

"Did I mention it travels in time?"

Jack smiled as he remembered, how Rose had told him once that this was how the Doctor convinced her to travel with him in the first place.

"You sure I wouldn't be intruding on anything?" Jack replied waggling his eyebrows.

Rose blushed. "Of course not Jack, you're a part of this family too." And she reached out to take his hand.

"Well then, how can I refuse an offer like that? Doc?"

The Doctor smiled "It's true Jack, wouldn't be the same without you."

Later as Jack lied in his bed aboard the TARDIS, safe in the depths of the Time Vortex, content with his place in the world, his two best friends and this beautiful ship were everything he'd ever want or need and drifted off to a contented sleep.

Rose sat in the jump seat, she loved watching the Doctor make last minute adjustments/repairs to the ship. The TARDIS whispered into her mind.

_"He's stalling."_

Rose smiled and laughed. _"I know."_ she replied silently.

"And what Rose Tyler, is it that you find so amusing hmmmmm?" the Doctor asked as he emerged from under the console smacking his head in the process.

"OW!!"

Rose burst out laughing as he rubbed his forehead in pain.

"Right that's it!" he laughed and Rose jumped off the seat and bolted out of the console room trying to escape from the Doctor as he chased her. To Rose's amusement the TARDIS helped by switching around the corridors on the Doctor, and she laughed harder. "I'll get you Rose Tyler!" shouted the Doctor from somewhere behind her. "Not if I get you first." came her response. He stopped at an intersection of corridor trying to sense which way she went. Then suddenly a pair of arms shot through the wall pulling him in and slamming him up against another wall.

"Told you I'd get you first." she said, her face millimetres from his own, and with that he grabbed her waist and spun them round so she was the one pressed up against his body and the wall behind her.

"Yes you did, Rose." He whispered as he dropped his head to press a kiss against her lips, she was a little startled at first but melted into him running her tongue along his bottom lip and her hands through his already messy hair as he opened his mouth slightly to allow her access. He deepened the kiss but after a few moments he broke away, more for the need of air than anything else and he rest his forehead against hers both breathing heavily.

"Is this what you want Rose?" he whispered.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Then it's yours, but...but you have to know, this will be like nothing you could ever imagine, and it'll be painful and wonderful all at the same time. I...I...I just don't want to hurt you Rose, I could never willingly cause you harm, I promised to protect you, but I can't protect you from myself." he breathed and shut his eyes.

She cupped his cheek and he lent into her touch, she pressed a kiss to his lips. "I trust you Doctor."

He took her hand and led her back through the maze of TARDIS corridors. Rose was trembling by the time the two of them arrived at his bedroom door; she couldn't believe what they were about to do after all those year of waiting and wanting. The Doctor didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't say anything. He had noticed though not a lot got passed him.

"There's nothing to be worried about Rose, I promise I won't hurt you" he spoke softly.

Rose shook her head, and smiled.

"I know. Jus…first time with a Time Lord. Or anyone for that matter, not in a very long time anyways." she said.

"How long?"

"Not for over a hundred years, not since before I met you." she said.

The Doctor smiled at her, taking off his jacket and kicking off his shoes. Rose turned to face him, staring into his eyes.

"Try, well over three hundred, and definitely not in this body." he whispered back to her as he took her hand again.

"You don't have to say anything, Rose. Just tell me that you want me."

"I want you Doctor, all of you." "Here." she said as she kissed him. "Here." as she placing one hand between his hearts. "And here." she whispered as her fingers brushed over his temple.

"Quite right too." He mumbled.

He felt her disapproval wash over him at the use of those particular three words. "Sorry." he whispered into her ear as he nuzzled into her hair, breathing her in, then pulling back slightly he sealed her mouth in a gentle kiss, her lips soft against his own. Rose sighed and relaxed into his embrace as his arm snaked around her waist to pull her in closer.

He rested his forehead against hers once again before speaking. "I want to show you something, Rose. I need you to see this before this goes any further. It'll be your last chance to back out."

"I already told yo..." she started.

"I know. Please. You have to know." She nodded and he moved away to a panel on the far wall. He brushed his hand again the panel and a screen appear the entire length and width of the opposing wall. To Rose, it looked like a full length window, she could see stars and in the centre she saw a planet. She knew what it was, it was his home, her home really, their planet, long since gone but never forgotten.

"These are my memories Rose, memories of the Time W..." he stopped not able to finish the sentence.

"I know what it is Doctor." she said as he walked back to stand at her side. He nodded, and she took his hand as he turned and pointed the sonic screwdriver at the screen to activate it.

She watched silently as he set the charge and detonated, bringing about the end of the Time Lords, wiping them from all of time and space, she watched the TARDIS save him, not willing to let him die, she watched his regeneration and how the pain and guilt at what he had done consumed him. She didn't move, just watched and clung tightly to his hand, she knew that this was the first time that he was forced to watch himself and remember what had happened. She looked up at him and watched the tears stream down his face, and as the memory came to an end and the wall went back to normal. He hung his head as he spoke.

"If you want to leave Rose, I'll understand. I can't expect you to love me after seeing what I've done."

She let go of his hand and walked over to the wall where their planets destructions had played out, pressing her hand to the surface she asked the TARDIS to bring back up the picture that had previously occupied the space. She complied and Gallifrey returned. She ran her fingers over the surface where it appeared. "You had no choice Doctor, you made the ultimate sacrifice to save the universe from what would have over run and ultimately destroyed it. I know it wasn't your choice to live either, she made that choice for you, and I also know that at times you hate her for it. We are all that's left Doctor, the last of our kind. I couldn't leave you, you're all I have, you and the TARDIS, and you know what, Doctor?"

"What Rose?" he whispered as he came up behind her, and she turned around to face him, tears streaming down her face as she lifted his head to look into his eyes.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way." and with that she cupped his cheek and kissed him gently,

"Are you sure?"

He looked down at her as exposed as she'd ever seen him. Not as a powerful Time Lord. Just as a vulnerable, fragile man who needed her to love him and take care of him.

"Yes."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

The Bad Wolf and the Oncoming Storm

"Is there anything else I need to know Doctor?"

"Yes, Rose before we go any further I need to explain something to you."

"Okay." she said hesitantly and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Oh Bollocks. The easiest way to explain this, I suppose, would be to start from the beginning." Rubbing the back of his neck he pulled her over to the bed and flopped down onto it. Rose sat down next to him and waited for him to continue.

"A Gallifreyan woman was worth her weight in gold Rose, and back before the days of Rassilon, prior to the rule of the Pythia, even couples who bore female children were revered. Scarce were the females of my kind." the Doctor sighed as he continued.

"There was a practise that despite all our advancements in technology we were still yet to be able to rid ourselves of. Because females were so rare, they were often desired by all, doesn't really apply now though, last of the Time Lords and all." he chuckled slightly.

"Tell me, Doctor." Rose said softly and nodded for him to continue.

"Since Lord Rassilon's time we conditioned ourselves against such desire from a young age though we are able to break that conditioning if we so wish. It is a relatively simple matter. Quite easy in fact."

"Doctor, you're babblin' again." Rose laughed.

"Yes I know, I'm stalling. But perhaps when I'm finished you'll understand why."

"Jus tell me yeah?" he nodded and stared as his shoes as he began.

"Gallifreyan bonding, is essentially a practise of marking, creating a bond between mates, signalling to other males and warning them off. We never did work out why, but over the generations unbonded males were unable to have sexual relations. Which means...in order to do so, we would have to bond Rose."

"Yeah, and what's so bad about that Doctor?" Rose couldn't understand his concerns, it wasn't like she wanted anyone else, and to tell the truth, the more she thought about it, the more she herself felt a strange urge to mark him in a likewise manner. The urge to bite, to feed.

"Bonding, as marking is a term I absolutely refuse to use, I don't care to assume that I own my mate despite my body's inclinations. It is painful to the female Rose, at least at the beginning. My race were telepathic, in Gallifreyans it means we are able to hear each other's thoughts, feelings and share experiences ever afterwards. And because you were born human, I don't know how successful this process would be I'm sorry, nor how the pain would differ. I have spent so many centuries without a mate Rose. I can control the level of primal desire, but once the process is begun it is irreversible, I would be unable to stop myself even if I wanted to, and changes will come over me that I would do my best to control, essentially, every emotion, need, want, pain, regret, fear would surge through you, you would feel every one of my experiences as if you yourself had been witness to them, 900 years worth of memories is a lot to take in let alone the emotional baggage that precedes them. It works the same in reverse, just as you would bare witness to mine, I would have the same to yours. I would also become instinctually protective, and jealous of any other males you would have contact with. I would never assume you would agree to the bond and as much as I feel the want to do this, I do not wish to cause you pain, and as you may have guessed the idea of marking itself has never sat well with me. I love

you Rose. You are the first person I've allowed myself to care for in such a way who was not of my own kind, who doesn't know what to expect."

A revelation dawned on her and Rose knowingly smiled at him and giggled slightly.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong Doctor."

"What?!!"

"While I may not have been born of your species, Doctor, I am Gallifreyan, and I do know what to expect. Four chemicals, three bites. The TARDIS knew what would happen; she explained it all to me."

"But she's wrong Rose, which is unlike the old girl; there are only three chemicals and two marks, one to the neck, one above the heart. The third chemical, well, that's, what I mean to say happens when we, you know...Anyway why would the TARDIS give you the wrong information?"

"She didn't."

"I don't understand, there are only three chemicals tha..." Rose interrupted him mid sentence.

"For you, that's correct, but I am more than just Gallifreyan Doctor." She turned her head away from him pulling her hair back to expose the marking on her neck.

The Doctor gasped and fell off the end of the bed, looking up in awe at the woman who sat before him. Rose, his Rose, a goddess in her own right, marked and protected by Rassilon himself.

"The fourth, Doctor and final mark is mine to make." she smiled as she watched realization dawn on his face.

"But how?" he watched in wonder as she moved over to the wall and pressed her hand lovingly to the TARDIS.

"I am the Bad Wolf, I create myself do you remember? My existence Doctor was prophesized by your people, by Rassilon no less on the eve of his coronation. He knew that one day Gallifrey would burn and come to ruin at the hands of one of its own, not by choice though, the destroyer of worlds forced to destroy his own for the good of the universe. This is why the TARDIS couldn't let you die. Did you ever consider what a coincidence it was that you met me when you did? You were meant to find me my Doctor, to lead me to my destiny. The Lord of Time and a shop girl. Since the dawn of the universe you have always been my destiny. When I looked into the TARDIS, she looked into me and she understood what she had to do. It was never I that brought about the end on Satellite 5, it was you, the last great act of the Time War, was a death bought about by love for another a life given for life to continue."

"I saw all that was, all that is and all there ever could be, and I saw us." A tear fell down her cheek.

"You knew that we would be separated, why didn't you stop it?" he asked still in shock at the magnitude of the situation.

Rose was sobbing lightly as he went to her and placed an arm around her shoulders, holding her tight as she cried.

"Yes, I could have stopped it. But I had no memories of what I had seen at the Gamestation then. It wasn't till I came back to you that they began to realign themselves, I always dreamt about wha happened but I was too afraid to ask you before.

"Please believe me Doctor when I say it was necessary to let me fall. I was the one that told Pete to catch me, I did it from the Gamestation, just before I destroyed the emperor, and I'm so very sorry to have put you through so much pain Doctor, I'm sorry but I had to, to save myself. I saw my own demise at the hands of the Master before my body had time to fully take to the change in DNA, so I had to make sure I wasn't there. I'm sorry, so so sorry my Doctor."

"The Valliant." he breathed as she continued to cry into his chest.

"Yes, It was no mere coincidence the ship was named as it was, nor were its coordinates random, I sent a reminder to you, a reminder of a message scattered by myself through time and space, sending you dreams and memories hoping that you would understand that I was with you and would come back to you."

"It was you, you were the one calling to me in the Vortex, the song, the emotions, it was all you." said the Doctor, a statement of fact rather than a question.

"Yeah." Rose sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "He and the TARDIS heard me calling out in desperation, I had sunk so low that I couldn't cope anymore I needed you, I needed to come home. But I didn't remember, couldn't remember any of things that I had done and seen, until I came back, I feed off this universe just as the TARDIS does. She helped me remember, but I couldn't tell you anything until all the pieces fell into place."

"He?" the Doctor questioned already half knowing who 'he' was.

"I am linked to this universe Doctor, through the TARDIS, Jack and through you. He, is the spirit of Rassilon, he who is in essence you. You, whether you realise it or not, protected me in the void while myself and the TARDIS opened the rift." She smiled shyly up at him as a look of confusion crossed his features.

"Me?"

Rose smiled in amusement at the baffled expression now on the Doctors face. He who thought he held all the answers.

"Yes you Doctor. You and me are the final two pieces in the puzzle. Two halves that join to create a whole. United at last, the Bad Wolf and the Oncoming Storm.

Another realisation dawned on him as she spoke. A thought that terrified him nearly to the point of regeneration.

"Rose, do you have any idea the power that was involved in reaching me in the Vortex, that type of power should not be held by any one entity, the corruption of that power would not only destroy you but rip apart this universe and everything within the fabric of reality!" the Doctor began pacing up and down the wall next to Rose, running his fingers through his hair as he thought. This force that Rose had used to get back to him in his mind he could only liken to that of a god., the power of creation and obliteration depending upon whomever got their hands on it.

"Yes." Rose replied to his train of thought "You and I Doctor, were always destined to save the universe, to protect it, this is what Rassilon saw. A joining of love, which cannot be corrupted. In our union, we will become the most powerful beings in the whole of time and space, Lords of Time, protectors of all things, for all eternity."

"No one is ever meant to weild such power Rose, let alone myself. If a Time Lord was to hold the power of the vortex then he would become a god, and a vengeful one at that."

"No you wouldn't Doctor, and it is what you were always meant to be, you being the last was no coincidence either, you were different from all the rest, you and I are the future for the Time Lords, a way to restore their glory to what Rassilon had always hoped that they would become."

"I can't be trusted with that much power Rose."

"No, like you said no one person should have that power, but no one person does Doctor. You and I hold it, and only together can we use and control it. You my Doctor and me, are the only ones that can keep the balance, and the universes in equilibrium. Like I said before Doctor, two halves, one won't work without the other. Destroyer of Worlds and the bringer of life together once more, as it was always meant to be. Please understand me." She begged him to understand.

The Doctor looked into her eyes and finally understood completely what she was trying to tell him, he still couldn't believe that he, the destroyer of worlds had been chosen to become a god no less, and that the love that he shared with this once simple human woman, was indeed the answer to everything. He who thought the universe was against him all this time, only to find that all he had endured in his oh so long life, had all been for this, this one moment in time, to be reunited with Rose, to be loved solely and completely by her with all his faults and failings and be joined to her forever to restore peace and continuity to all that this universe was, is and ever could be. He closed his eyes and could see it now, all of it clearly, he saw his Rose, his best friend his everything, he saw his children that had long since passed and smiled as his eyes opened wide and looked into Rose, into her very soul and saw their future together, saw their beautiful children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so one for generations. This was destiny, fate, whatever you want to call it her and him, lords and protectors of the universe until the end of time and beyond.

Words 2, 212


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

Bonding and Rebirth

He slid up behind her as she stood gazing at the images on the wall in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist they were cool around her and delightfully bare up to his elbows. She could feel the length of his chest against her back and his warm breath on her neck. He removed her jacket, returning his arms to her waist and placed a kiss on the markings on her back. Rose shuddered in his grasp and placed her hands on his, he began to move their hands together under her shirt, and she stilled her own and let him continue on his own accord. She arched into him as his hands slowly slipped up her stomach to each cover a breast. He was pressed so tightly against her, lips grazing her neck and the exposed bits of her shoulders, while his hands roamed, bringing shivers to her skin. He reached for the hem of her shirt and quickly pulled it off. He stepped away from her for a moment then she felt his cool skin against her back, his hands returning to their previous position on her chest. He slowly moved one hand from her breast and trailed down her stomach tracing symbols of a lost culture only they could understand and gradually slipped lower to tease the soft skin at the top of her jeans, his beautiful long fingers easily undid the top button and slid beneath the fabric and into her knickers, gently brushing over her most sensitive spot, sending a slight shiver through her entire body.

"I want you, Rose." he whispered into her ear sending another shudder through her being.

She rested her head back on his shoulder, closed her eyes and whispered back to him.

"Then have me Time Lord."

He growled and devoured her with a kiss, tasting her lips and tongue, and she whimpered his name as he slid a finger inside her. He removed his hand from her jeans, earning him a moan at the loss of his touch. He turned her in his arms and picked her up laying her gently down on his bed, no he thought and smiled against her lips, not his, theirs, she felt his thought and smiled too. The Doctor undid her jeans, grabbing hold of her knickers and quickly slid them both down over her thighs and legs. He threw them to the side over his head, not really caring at that point where they ended up, resuming this assault on her lips. He positioned himself between her legs and using one arm to brace himself above her he slipped his fingers back inside her, Rose broke their kiss as she cried out. His mouth slowly and thoroughly made its way down her jaw and neck, finding one very hard pink numb as he rolled it between his teeth and flicked his tongue across the tip; she arched up into his mouth, as he gave the same attention to the other.

"Doctor." She moaned.

"Mmmmmm." Was his only response as his mouth was some what preoccupied against her chest.

"You still seem to have forgotten something." She breathed.

"Huh." He lifted his head from her breast with a look of confusion.

She laughed but was distracted as he changed the angle of his fingers to hit that special spot inside her.

"Trousers." She moaned as she arched into his touch and threw her head back into the pillows.

"Oh, right, of course, can't do this with them still on can I." He babbled as she lifted her head to glare at him.

"DOCTOR!" She groaned at him as he removed his fingers as he got up and stepped away from her once again to lose said trousers.

"Right! Babbling again, sorry."

She launched herself at him and dragged him down onto the bed, flipping him so that she could straddle his waist, delighting in the shock on his face at the turnabout. She wasted no time in beginning her own assault on his lips, she reached up and ran a hand down the bare skin of the Doctor's side his eyelids fluttering at her touch, and shock was replaced by a blissful expression, Rose bit her lip as she continued her exploration of the skin of his hips and she could see his breaths beginning to quicken as she touched him, his chest expanding and collapsing under her. She reached down between their bodies with her other arm to run her thumb across the tip of his length as she grabbed hold. The Doctor's mouth dropped and his eyes rolled back as he shuddered and moaned her name into her mouth at the contact. She stoked more firmly feeling up and down the shape of his erection. Her mouth soon joined her hands assault on him and he nearly screamed at the sensation of her warm mouth around his now throbbing member. But as much as he was enjoying said contact he knew if she went on much longer the night would be over before it had even begun.

"Rose, Rose you have to stop." He moaned as she removed her mouth from him.

"Why don't you……." She began but he cut her off.

"Yes too much, but if don't stop I won't be held responsible for the consequences." She poked her tongue at him and grinned as she crawled up his body to press a deep kiss to his mouth.

Without breaking the kiss he flipped them once again so he could hover over her bracing himself on his elbows. He licked a line from her jaw down between her breasts to her stomach where he dipped his tongue into her navel enticing another moan of pleasure from her as his fingers continued their previous assault on a certain spot between her thighs. His fingers were soon joined by his mouth, tasting her for the first time, his tongue curling and licking at her soft wetness, running his tongue around and around, and then agonisingly slowly up and over with his fingers sliding firmly in and out of her, pressing up inside to push against that spot again that she liked oh so much, her body arching up causing her to shudder and moan his name loudly. She could feel herself beginning to fall, as the energy swelled up inside her, sensing she was close he slid his fingers deeper. She squeezed her eyes shut as he moved his tongue slowly over her swollen clit, adding to her frustration managing another strangled moan. She was on fire, burning like the sun, all for him and the throbbing between her legs increased, sending her over the edge and he held her mind helping her ride for as long as possible. She couldn't contain the barrage of noises and sounds that spilled from her lips, a mixture of the Gallifreyan, English and what could only be described as undistinguishable murmurings of love and devotion that the TARDIS couldn't even translate. When she finally came back, he was hovering over the top of her, grin plastered from ear to ear, and she couldn't help but blush the most delightful shade of pink.

"Alright?"

He asked her sitting back, kneeling on the bed, as she climbed onto his lap hugging and kissing him in gratitude. His erection hard between their bodies, she reached down slowly and took hold of him, leaning up slightly to position him outside her entrance. Rose looked deep into his eyes as she sank down inch by beautiful inch until all ten had entered her, and she heard the Doctor cry out softly at the sensation. When she was comfortable he moved her legs so they were wrapped around his body, and then held her closely.

To be with him this way made her whole. Complete. The hot, hard feel of him inside her, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and she could see the universe in his eyes; the stars, the planets, his world, his people, his pain, pouring out like a flood, like his spirit was rushing out from those two brown pools, begging to know him, to love him.

Despite the intensity of that moment, a strange thought occurred to her. She remembered how the TARDIS had said to refer to her Doctors as Nine and Ten and wondered if it had any correlation at all with his size. The Doctor burst out laughing as he felt her thoughts.

"Wha?" she asked him frowning while remarking to herself that this was not the best time to be laughing at her.

"Really Rose Tyler, this is no time to be scolding me after you thinking something like that!" he said still laughing.

"Thinkin' what?...oh that…sorry" She replied remembering exactly what she was thinking of prior to his eruption of laughter at her expense.

"Don't be sorry Rose, it's quite a logical assumption, but no, pure luck of the draw I am, what you see is what you get."

She responded by raising herself up off his lap then pushing her hips harder down onto him, he penetrated her more deeply thus bringing an abrupt end to his blabbering with a moan from both of them.

"Well that worked a treat, can't normally get you to shut ya gob," she teased.

"Now that was entirely uncalled for Rose Tyler I don't talk half as much as you may think I dooooooooo." Rose did it again just to prove her point.

"Touché." Was his only response before his mouth crashed down onto her own stopping any witty or sarcastic remark she could have come out. He felt her smile against his lips as her hips arched sharply against him, and there ended any sense of control he thought he had.

"_Rose?"_

"_Hmmm."_

"_Can you hear me?"_

"_Of course I can here you, you're right in front of………..Oh hello, your in my head aren't you? How?"_

"_Hello, yes and because we have joined together physically. Rose it's time, I can't hold on much longer this is your last chance to change your mind."_

"_I know, and it's alright Doctor I'm ready."_

"_Are you sure, because if your not I cou….."_

"_God Doctor even in your head you can't half gab on….shut up an' do it!"_

The Doctor turned his attention on her neck and slammed up into her. Rose's moan turned into a piercing cry as the Doctor's teeth broke her skin, releasing the first chemical marker. She arched sharply, and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as he licked and sucked at the wound.

"_I'm sorry it hurts Rose, I truly am, and it will only get worse with the next."_

"_It's ok Doctor."_

After the pain subsided warmth and pleasure crept through her body, she felt every single nerve ending respond, not only in her own body but also the Doctors body reacting as they moved together, every synapsis in their brains firing. And then she felt it, she felt every single planet in the universe turning on its axis, galaxies and stars being born and dying, she could feel the universe itself ebbing and flowing, constantly moving and expanding, and she wonders if this is what he meant when he once told her he could feel everything.

"_Yes now you will too, my Rose, Protector of the Universe, Goddess and Time Lord, the second last of our kind."_

He returned to her lips and continued to rock against her, a moan escaping from his own lips as she changed the angle of her hips again. She threw her head back as he trailed kisses down her front coming to rest just below her breast over her heart. She relaxed and enjoyed the other sensations coursing through her body, sensing the pain that was merely seconds away.

He bit down hard on her flesh as he released the second marker, his DNA which interweaved and bound itself to her own creating a physical bond which would allow him to find her anywhere in time or space should they be separated, the essence of him surging through her veins and seeping into her heart where he belonged. She screamed but did not flinch, and she felt a wave of pride and affection from him wash over her.

"_That was the last my Rose, you are mine in body, heart and mind dearest one. You will be able to sense when I am near, feel how and what I feel, and hear my thoughts at any given moment in time no matter where you are and vice versa."_

"_I guess that leaves only one thing left to do, yeah?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Are __you__ sure my Doctor?_

"_Absolut AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

"_I'm so sorry my love; it won't last long I promise you."_

The Doctor screamed out in mind and body as Rose latched on and bit into his neck. She could feel the pain she was inflicting on him but couldn't, would not stop. Their bonding needed to be complete, they both new this, and she apologized again as she shut her eyes and concentrated. Bright golden light engulfed them as they continued to move together, and silver flecks soon spread to circle and weaved in and out of the golden light making it brighter and stronger. The seal of Rassilon on her neck began to glow and she screamed out in pain finally breaking contact with the Doctors neck. Their pace quickened and the light surrounding them intensified and began to pulsate sending out waves of golden silver light. They raced together holding each other tightly as they approached the edge, the fourth and final marker that would make it known to any rival that she was his and he was hers, knowing that in their climax, the bonding would take permanent affect, and they were ready to fall knowing that the other was there to catch them. And as they reached the event horizon, time came to a standstill and the universe stopped and fell into a reverent silence in respect for the joining of its eternal lords and protectors.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

Catch me when I fall

"Hello Theta." Rose said smiling up at him.

"Hello Rose, you called me Theta" he opened his eyes and grinned down at her.

"Yes I did, do you mind?"

"No, actually I quite like it coming from you Rose. But just from you, so don't tell anyone else ok?"

"Just between us then." She nodded.

"So it's done?" he asked her.

"Not quite."

"Where are we?"

"In a place outside of Time and Space, a place which will live on in myth and legend, in our hearts and minds, and in our actions, so that the universe will know that the Time Lords did not die in vain."

He looked around for a moment and took in the sight of what he had not seen in far too long, a sight he could only ever imagine seeing again. The familiar burnt orange sky, the twin suns reflecting off silver leaves, blood red grass sweeping as a gentle breeze caressed their skin. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply the smell of his long since gone world.

"_Gallifrey." _The Doctor whispered.

"Doctor."

"Hmmm."

"Are you alright?" He opened his eyes and looked at her slightly confused.

"Why are we here Rose?"

"Because there's one thing left to do before we fall."

"Before we fall? Oh right, yes, what we were doing before."

She laughed. "What gave it away?"

"Well, the fact we're still naked and……….." he was cut short as she burst out laughing.

"Hmpf….This is not the time or place to be laughing at me Rose Tyler!" he said with mock indignation as he puffed out his chest.

"God you're so full of it." She smacked him lightly on the arm.

"So are you ready Doctor?"

"Ready for what?"

"Ready to let go?" she replied.

"Will you catch me when I fall Rose?" he whispered, fear evident in his small voice.

"Always, now relax."

She placed her index and middle fingers on his temples and supported his head with the rest of her hands.

"What are you going to do Rose?" his concern was evident in his tone.

"Nothing Doctor, but I need you to do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Then let go."

"Rose there's no way you can handle nearly a thousa…………………."she cut him off.

"Do you trust me Doctor?"

"Yes of course I do bu…….."

"Then let go, I promise I'll catch you."

The Doctor sighed, closed his eyes and placed his own hands on Rose temples, and slowly the barriers that had kept him sane for over 900 years crumbled as she walked through his mind. 1000 years worth of loneliness and pain, loss and terrible guilt for all those things that he had or hadn't done couldn't change, and he began to panic as his memories and feelings started to consume him. It was then that he felt himself being enclosed in a golden bubble. Warmth and love surrounded and calmed him as he looked out into his broken mind from the orb of protection Rose had created in his mind. He watched as golden tendrils stretched out to touch and heal him, pulling together and repairing his fractured soul. Finally the bubble and golden tendrils pulled back, leaving only a golden glow that hummed at the edge of his consciousness, a link to Rose, constant and unbreakable. He opened his eyes, feeling tears of happiness fall; he smiled at the beautiful woman that sat with tears streaming down her face before him and he pulled her closer, knowing that she now knew and felt everything he had experienced in his lives.

"Thank you Rose, thank you so much. For pulling me closer when I pushed you away, for accepting me with all my faults and failings, for giving an old alien hope and life when he thought there was nothing left in this universe, for coming with me and coming back to me, for loving me so completely no matter what form I may be in, brooding with big ears, rude and not ginger, or whatever may come. He whispered into her ear as he reached out his own mind to her and soothed her pain at being separated from him for so long, her despair at watching her family and friends wither and die and he filled her with his love for her, his joy that she had returned to him and still loved him after all this time, and his pure elation for the future for the two of them. The silver that was the Doctor shone brightly in the back of her mind as he drew back to look into her very soul.

"I love you Rose Tyler, with both my hearts, through all of Time and Space and into eternity."

She lifted her gaze to his eyes and pressed a kiss to his lips. His words carried the weight of a vow, and she knew this to be exactly that. He rested his forehead against hers, watching her tears fall, her tears for the pain that he had suffered through alone for so many years, tears of joy that he loved her and now they could finally be together forever.

"I love you too Theta, My Doctor, My……." she trailed off as she whispered softly in his mind his name, his real name as it was given and spoken on the day of his birth.

He smiled brightly and closed his eyes as his own tears continued to fall, half laughing and sobbing as she spoke his name, as she continued in Gallifreyan.

"And I will always love you, my best friend and soul mate, through all of space and time and into eternity."

They sat in companionable silence for what seemed like moments but in reality could have been a lifetime, just holding each other letting the weight of all that had been said and done settle in their minds and revelling in the comfort and love that one brought to the other before Rose spoke.

"So are you ready to fall?"

"With you by my side I'm ready for anything."

And with those last words they fell into oblivion and it that instant two stars were born, burning faintly in the night sky where a long since destroyed world once stood, taking pride of place in the universe, in a galaxy growing steadily and surely, awaiting a time when its lords would come home.

They saw stars, literally, as they spiralled through the universe together, riding wave upon wave of their shared orgasms, and as its intensity subsided, they crashed back into their bodies, collapsing in a mess of tangled appendages and sweat both panting and exhausted but completely and utterly sated. When thought returned once more, the Doctor pulled Rose on top of him and she laid her head on his chest, hair splaying out behind her as he brushed a stray lock away from her face, she sighed as the gentle thrum of his double hearts lulled her to sleep. He pulled the covers over them and breathed in her scent once more before he pressed a kiss to her hair.

"_Sleep well my Rose." He whispered into her mind_

"_Goodnight my Theta. I love you."_

"_I love you too dearest one." He replied._

The Doctor smiled, his thought drifting to something that the Face of Boe had said in New New York just before he died, and he understood what he was trying to tell him when he had said_ 'You are not alone' _He would definitely have to thank Jack in the morning. His thoughts wandered to the man in question, as his smile changed somewhat to a smug smirk, wondering if Jack had heard what had been happening between himself and Rose, surmising, _as he recalled every noise that had left the beautiful and oh so incredibly talented mouth of the naked goddess that was laid across him,_ that 900 years of experience was definitely an asset he would not tire of using on said goddess to elicit more of those wonderful sounds and indeed the attentions of the aforementioned mouth. He was soon pulled out of his musings as Rose elbowed him in the ribs

"_Shut up and go to sleep Theta." She mock scolded him into his mind. _

"_Yes dear." _He grinned and closed his eyes as he felt her smile into his chest.

He soon followed Rose into the most restful and peaceful sleep he had experienced in his entire existence, his dreams for once not full of guilt and despair, but of love and adventure and the future with his Rose. They were together, a whole, and both for once felt complete, and at peace with the universe.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Lords and Protectors of the Universe

The simulated sunlight the TARDIS provided streamed into the room, bathing her two precious occupants in its warmth and glow. Rose smiled as she felt the arm around her waist tighten as it continued to trace symbols across her stomach knowing that her mate was awake and had been watching her sleep, again.

"_There you go bein' rude again Theta." _She spoke into his mind as she turned to face him and opened her eyes to be met with what would have to be the cheekiest grin she had ever witness from the Doctor.

"Yup, rude and defiantly not ginger!" came his response emphasising the 'P' with a slight popping sound, which Rose couldn't help but laugh at.

"Definitely." She laughed, leaning up to press a lingering kiss to the Doctors slightly puffy and bruised lips. She placed her head on his chest and smiled up at him as the events of the previous night flooded through her mind, musing over how she would never again criticize his oral fixation, remembering just how magnificent and fantastically talented his mouth can be when its not busy gobbin' off.

"I'm glad you approve Miss Tyler." She could hear the hint of amusement and a slight smugness present in his response.

"God help us, there'll be no living with you now will there?" She teased as she imagined the effects of an over inflated Time Lord Ego.

"You above all Rose should know that I'm not like THAT thank you very much!" he replied in mock indignation as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"You're so cute when you pout Theta." She laughed as watched his expression change and his mouth gaped open.

"Time Lords ponder and have been known at times to brood, but I do not, I repeat DO NOT POUT!" He huffed.

Rose smiled and thought that he now looked more like a child throwing a tantrum after they didn't get their own way, rather than a 900 year old Time Lord.

"Right, that's it! You're gonna get it now Missy, I'll show you a 900 year old child indeed." The Doctor shouted as he launched an assault of tickles on an unsuspecting Rose making her jump slightly in surprise.

"STOP! WAIT! THAT'S SO NOT FAIR!" She cried through her laughter as the Doctor mercilessly took advantage of her still half asleep form.

"ALRIGHT I TAKE IT BACK I GIVE UP!!!!" She said and his teasing came to a stand still.

"And what might you be giving up Miss Tyler?" The Doctor taunted as he hovered over her still very naked and flushed form.

"Ok Okay, Time Lords do NOT pout then." She admitted albeit reluctantly." But you're still cute when you're 'not poutin'." She finished.

He smiled down at Rose underneath him, with her long hair fanning out across the bed, she really was a goddess, all naked and glowing, and he leaned down and kissed her, a long and beautifully delicate expression of the love that he held for her, the one person that made him so ecstatically happy he was alive. He pulled back and grinned as she smiled back at him.

"_Good morning my most precious ones."_

"Who said that, who's there?!" The Doctor sounding slightly alarmed at the unknown voice speaking into his mind. Rose grinned at the shocked expression the Doctor currently had plastered across his face.

"Good morning TARDIS!" Rose shouted happily to the ceiling.

"TARDIS?" The Doctor asked.

"_Yes Theta, you seem a little confused my dear Time Lord." _ The TARDIS said with amusement.

"A little may be an understatement…………but now? How are you…….., you never have before, I didn't even know you had a voice…..how is this possible?" He babbled his replied still unable to understand how it was that the TARDIS was now speaking to him.

The TARDIS shook and the Doctor heard her laughing.

"_Rose and I communicate both telepathically and verbally Doctor, it is a remnant of the time that she and I became one and she has passed this on to you as a gift."_

"And what a marvellous gift it is too old girl, I can't believe it. All this time why didn't you tell me you could speak to the TARDIS?" He asked Rose.

"I wanted to surprise you Doctor, and before it wouldn't have worked, we needed to be bonded for it to be passed on to you." She said sheepishly as her tongue poked out between her teeth.

"Rose Tyler, my Rose you will never cease to amaze me." The Doctor laughed as he pulled Rose into his arms. "Thank you. Both of you." Rose laughed and smiled at him.

"_You are welcome Theta. There is another gift I wish to bestow upon you, as a gesture of my love for you both, I have been working on them ever since you met." _

A small wooden box with Gallifreyan symbols appeared on the bed in front of them. The Doctor handed it to Rose and they waited for the TARDIS to speak again before they opened it.

"_These items stand as a symbol of your union, a sign of the power you possess and finally your irrefutable places as Lords and Protectors of the universe." _

Inside the box sat the seal of Rassilon, beautifully crafted with entwined gold and silver, and suspended from an incredibly thin yet unbreakable chain. Beside this where two matching rings sporting the seal, made from the same silvery-gold metal, TARDIS metal of course, like the necklace, one slightly thinner and daintier for Rose, the other one a little thicker for the Doctor, accompanied by a set of silver cuff links.

"Oh TARDIS they're beautiful, thank you so much." Rose cried as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.

"Thank you old girl, I don't know how to thank you enough for, well, EVERYTHING that you've done, for me, for Rose, for everyone. We wouldn't be able to save the world without you, our beautiful ship." The Doctor said fondly placing a gentle caress on the wall behind their bed and Rose placed her hand over the Doctors.

"_Hmmmmmmmm you can start my dear Theta by never ever using the term old again. It may very well be the truth, but it is a truth that one does not need to be constantly reminded of. And it would be much appreciated if a certain mallet was inexplicably launched out of an air lock?" _

"Consider it done ol…….I mean _my _girl." The Doctor smile as he corrected himself.

"_There is one more thing that must be done."_

"What is it TARDIS?" Rose asked.

"_You will see, but first you must clean up, there are fresh towels and robes in the bathroom and an abundance of hot water, I also took the liberty of moving your things there also my Rose. I will have all else that you require ready when you return." _

The Doctor sprung from the bed and held out his hand for Rose, he waggled his eyebrows as he spoke.

"Care to join me in the shower my dear?"

"My dear Doctor, I thought you'd never ask." Rose replied in the most seriously pompous tone she could manage without breaking into fits of laughter as she was dragged across the room and into the bathroom by the overly enthusiastic Time Lord.

An hour and a half later the pair re-emerged from the bathroom laughing after the Doctor had demanded he be allowed to perform a legitimate and in-depth study into the reactions affected by his oral fixation, leading him to the conclusion that even though the offending item may be all over a certain Rose Tyler and may smell like banana's and chocolate, it does not necessarily mean that one should eat said item unless he is planning on coughing up bubbles for the most part of an hour.

"Oh my god it's beautiful." Rose exclaimed as she saw the dress the TARDIS had laid out for her. Silver and gold strap less bodice encrusted with crystals and gems and delicate little rose buds that came to a V just over her hips, the skirt flowed over her curves like water and was embossed with emerald green swirling Gallifreyan symbols that covered the entire floor length gown, which trained out from her back to rest about three feet behind her. On her feet she wore delicate little silk slippers which wrapped around her legs much like that of ballet shoes.

The Doctor has since taken his clothes and wandered off back into the bathroom muttering something about forgetting to shave due to inexplicable distractions whilst in their previously. Rose was glad he wasn't in the room as there was one little trick that she had not yet mentioned to the Doctor and she wanted to keep it as another surprise. On one of the bedside tables appeared two long matching emerald green ribbons and two others, one silver and the other gold.

"Thank you TARDIS, I think I finish off on my own" Rose whispered and smiled as she closed her eyes and raised her hands palms up level with her shoulders. She began to glow, her hair swirling behind her. The two green, the silver and the gold ribbon all lifted off the table and hovered in the air above her head as she braided them into her hair as if she were wearing a crown, then weaving them in between the large plait down her back, the green setting off the fire red of her hair and the silver and gold sparkled in her golden glow. When it was done she opened her eyes and had a look at the finished product.

"Not bad for my first time, don't you think TARDIS?" She asked hoping that the ship would approve of what she had done.

"_You learn quickly little one, I am very proud, you are stunning, a true goddess." The TARDIS said lovingly to her young protégé._

"Thanks to you TARDIS." She replied as she pressed a kiss to the wall.

"Rose could you help with theeee….ees..sss……………" The Doctor had walked in adjusting the cuffs on his shirt and trailed off as he stood gaping at the image of Rose. She walked over to her mate and smiled shyly as she lifted his jaw closed with one of her delicate finger.

He stood before her in a white and silver suit, unlike his normal pinstripes his jacket had a high collar which dipped to a V at the front to just below his Adams apple with silver trimming around the buttons and seams with embroidered symbols like that of her own dress and on the breast bore the seal of Rassilon. The pants matching perfectly to its counter part, finished off with the ever infamous pair of white and silver trainers. He looked as though he had walked out a fairy tale, her fairytale in fact, he was her prince charming, rude and not ginger though he maybe, but her prince none the less.

"Rose……" He breathed, still unable to construct full sentences.

"Doctor." She smiled and laughed as she reached into the box on their bed and pulled out the silver cuff links and attached them to his sleeves. She then took his ring from its holder and looked deep into his eyes as she slid it onto the fourth finger of his left hand and whispered into his mind.

"_I love you Doctor, through all of space and time and into eternity." _

At that point he had regained the power of movement and speech, he smiled and pulled the necklace from its resting place and Rose sighed as the Doctor brushed her neck as he placed the chain on her and pulled out the sonic screw driver to fasten the clasp. He then returned to the box to retrieve her ring, taking her hand he slid it along her ring finger as he spoke.

"As do I my Rose, with both my hearts and all of my beings, through all of time and space and into eternity."

The Doctor leaned down and rested his forehead against hers as he caressed her cheek with his fingers.

"You look beautiful Rose." He breathed as he pressed a loving kiss to her lips.

"Thank you Theta, you scrub up pretty good yourself." She replied, while in the back of her mind she could think of nothing more appealing than ripping said items off him and having her way with him, _again._

The Doctor couldn't help himself and he burst out laughing, Rose had forgotten that he was now privy to any and all thoughts that swept through her mind; she smiled as she caught the tip of her tongue in her teeth.

"_Later." _He spoke into her mind.

"_Promise?" _She asked, but the Doctor didn't respond save for a wink as he took her hand and led her to the door.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Universe, meet The Doctor and Rose

The TARDIS had already made Jack aware of what was going on and was more than willing to offer her his assistance. While Rose and the Doctor were getting ready, Jack had managed to slip the TARDIS, _unnoticed by the Doctor due to help from the old girl,_ out of the Time Vortex and into the HUB, where he had arranged to pick up the few people the TARDIS herself had requested be present.

Dressed all in white, Martha, Donna, Sarah Jane, Gwen, Ianto, Tosh and Owen had all been told of the magnitude and significance of what they were about to be apart of and witness prior to entering the TARDIS and they all stood in silent respect as Jack piloted the ship to their destination. They were about to be introduce to the Lord and Lady of all of time and space.

The TARDIS materialised on Saturn's Rings, an appropriate setting she thought, and extended her force field so that her occupants could stand outside her doors, an invisible floor so that it seemed like they were floating in space. Everyone took their positions either side of the doors as Jack waited next to the console for the pair to arrive. The Doctor and Rose entered the control room, greeted by Jack who, after getting over the initial shock of seeing Rose, smiled and bowed to them both.

"My Lord and Lady, if you would follow me." They nodded at Jack and followed him to the open TARDIS doors; he stopped them just before the passed over the threshold. Rose and the Doctor stood stunned as they looked out at where they were and saw their friends smiling back at them.

"What's going on Jack?" The Doctor asked warily.

"The TARDIS asked me to help, this is all her doing, and we're here because we love you both and have been asked to bare witness." Jack replied raising one eyebrow in amusement at the Doctors obvious confusion.

"Bare witness to what Jack?" He asked his friend who seemed at the moment to hold all the answers.

"The beginning." Rose said before Jack could answer and she squeezed his hand.

"_It will be okay Theta, trust me there is nothing to fear."_

The Doctor looked into her eyes and nodded, then motioned for Jack to continue with whatever it was that needed to be done.

"Alright then Jack."

"Yes Sir!" Jack mock saluted the Doctor and smiled as he turned around to face the open doors of the TARDIS and stepped outside, and in his most official tone Jack spoke:

"It is my distinct privilege and indeed my greatest honour to present to you, The Lord and Lady of Time and Space, Protectors of the Universe for all Eternity. The Doctor and Rose meet the universe……….Universe meet The Doctor and Rose." And as The Doctor and Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, Jack dipped his head, followed by the others, in a bow of respect as the two met the universe together for the first time, even the universe itself seem to come to a stand still to pay its respect to this moment in history. Rose and the Doctor smiled as they felt its silent acknowledgement and acceptance. Rose squeezed his hand as she turned to face him, her entire being glowed as the lights and colours of the planets rings reflected off her gown and eyes giving her an almost ethereal presence.

"There's one last thing that I want to show you Doctor, another gift that you also now possess and in time you'll be able to use it as I do." Rose laughed. "Funny that the roles are reversed, me teachin' you this an' all." He returned her smile and chuckled; still delightfully confused that she couldn't help but giggle and smirk a little at him, knowing that what was to come next would absolutely warp even his superior Time Lord mind. Rose extended her left out in front of her body palm facing down. The Doctor watched her intensely and she squeezed his fingers between her own as she rolled her outstretched hand back over and in her once empty palm was a small golden orb about the size of a golf ball hovering just a few millimetres from her skin. She smiled in amusement at the incredulous stare on his face focusing intently on the ball that had appeared in her hand.

"_If you think that was good Theta then wait till you see the rest,." _

Letting go of his hand she turned to face him so that the orb was cradled in her hands between them. For a moment he was unsure what she wanted him to do until he felt his hands move as if of their own accord to splay out over her own, enclosing the light in the circle their hands made. Rose closed her eyes to focus and the orb began to spin and glow, faster and brighter at every passing second. Beautiful silver, gold and green hues began to emanate from the orb washing out in an ever increasing intensity of waves which made a slight 'wobbing' sound as it radiated from between their hands. The others watched on in awe.

"_You'll like this part my love." _Rose smiled as she continued out loud.

"You can remove your hands my Doctor; I've absorbed enough of your energy to continue this part on my own, I will be able to compensate for you until you have learnt to control it."

"Learnt to control it?" Rose only nodded and he continued. "What is IT Rose?"

"The Universe." Rose replied in an almost ethereal voice as she took a step away from him.

And with those words her arms dropped to her sides as the glow of the orb intensified again and silvery golden green light began to swirl around her slowly from foot to head until she was bathed in light, her hair had broken loose from the back leaving only her crown as it swam behind her. She opened her eyes and smiled at her mate as he stood as equally astounded and bewildered as the rest of the company present. He could feel the power coming from Rose as she approached him, but when she pressed her lips to his, he could feel that the power he was sensing was what she was allowing him to feel, only a fraction of what she currently held within her, the combination of their essence, the power to destroy and obliterate………..but also the power to restore and recreate entire universes and civilisations. She broke the kiss and nodded to him in understanding as she felt his fears for the enormity of their power.

"All is as it should be Doctor; there is nothing to fear, this power that was bestowed upon us, we did not choose it for ourselves, but accepted it, and therein lays the reason we are safe from corruption. The choice was made at the dawn of Time; we would become who we are now, to be here together." And he understood. Rose turned and addressed the group as she walked to Jack.

"You are all here because you serve a higher purpose, you help to control the balance, and you may think that protecting only one planet in the entirety of this universe is insignificant but you have no idea how important it is that you continue to fight, for one person protecting their home can be more powerful than any army."

She was standing in front of Jack now and she looked at him, deep into his eyes and saw the pain of loosing them both on the Gamestation, being left behind and having to endure all that he had to reach this point in time. She kissed him, and as she spoke into his mind, he was rid of pain and regret, instead feeling a great peace wash over him, and he knew that in this moment she, the doctor, the universe accepted him, no longer was he something that should not be, but a constant fact.

"_I gave you life after the darkness Jack Harkness, not only because I could not stand to lose you, but because you too have a part to play in this, one day you will understand, some day far from now. But be assured my Jack that you are not alone. You are now linked to myself, the Doctor and the TARDIS, not in the way the Doctor and I are, but we all share a connection, you will be able to speak to us just as I am speaking to you now, you will not share our thought, but some feelings you will be able to pick up and learn to translate over time."_

He erupted into a massive grin and nodded as tears of joy rolled freely down his cheeks and he welcomed all to see them. This was the happiest moment of his life, his two best friends whom he loved dearly and was over joyed to finally see them together in all their glory, and connected to them for as long as his immortality held out, deep inside he knew that one day it would end, but he didn't care, he was loved, he had a family and he finally had a home, and could just be himself. Jack shut his eyes and concentrated hard replying to her. _"Thank you Rosie, for everything."_

"You're welcome, and don't worry too much, The Doctor and me will teach you, you'll pick it up in no time." She winked at him as her tongue poked through her teeth as she grinned. Supreme Being she may be but still his Rosie Jack thought and smiled.

"_Always." _She whispered into Jacks mind as she returned to the Doctors side.

With one final glance around the gathering she smiled at the Doctor as he stood beside her waiting, knowing that there was indeed something coming that he would no doubt be shocked at but definitely enjoy. She closed her eyes once more as they ethereal light that surrounded her was drawn back from around her and intensified in a swirling torrent between her now outstretched arms; she splayed her fingers out at the universe as she released the orb, it launched high over their heads and with an almighty thunderous crash it exploded showering every last atom and molecule in time and space in the universe, in the most fantastical fire works display never to be rivalled in brilliance, imagination or intensity of colour. This was the beginning, the universe renewing itself in the wash of power and love.

The Doctor wrapped his arm around Rose waist as they stood admiring the show. Rose laughed as she felt him reach for the sonic screwdriver to run over her, a habit he had taken up a long time ago to reassure himself that she was alright. Just as he was about to activate, the screwdriver flew out of his hand and into Roses' waiting hand.

"I'm fine Doctor relax yeah?" She laughed at the unbelievable expression on his face.

"OOhh, you're gonna have to teach me that little Jedi trick Rose Tyler." He teased excitedly.

"You an' your sci-fi techno-babble Doctor, really, what am I gonna do with you?"

"Oi! You started it Vulcan Mind Meld indeed." He spluttered murmuring the last part.

"What? Well that's wha' it looked like at the time so just shut it, yeah?"

"Or what?" He said, and she knew by the look in his eyes that he was challenging her.

She moved back from him leaving a space between them no more than a foot wide so they weren't touching, and he caught the glint in her eyes that spelled trouble, not universe goes bang in 5 minutes, paradoxical trouble but _Rose _trouble, which for him could be worse.

"Rose." His tone wary. "Rose what are you……?" Her smile was daring, and he caught a tiny glint of evil fleck across her eyes as his shirt buttons began to undo themselves one by one revealing inches of his bare chest as they continued to open. He quickly grabbed at his shirt as the third button slid from its holder, and re buttoned himself and smoothed down his jacket.

"Rose this isn't the time or the place, I would kindly remind you to control your telekinetically related urges thank you very much." But she caught his eyes and he grinned wolfishly at her.

"_Not now Rose, but soon." _ She felt him brush up against her inner thigh, sighing loudly in response until she realised he wasn't touching her, he was still foot away and she hadn't seen him move the whole time.

"There are still some things that you don't know about me Rose." The Doctor whispered lifting one eyebrow, desire plain to see in those two once brown now nearly black eyes.

"How did you………..?" But she was cut off, her breath hitching and her eyes fluttering closed as she felt fingers ghosting over her right nipple causing it to stand to attention.

"Not now, not here." She agreed almost breathless, she laughed and grinned at him knowing he'd remember these next words.

"Witchcraft?" She teased biting her bottom lip. He pulled her to him as he replied.

"Time Lord."


End file.
